Saturday, January 24, 2026

My Response - 2025 Accentuate the Positive

We had a busy Christmas period followed by a relaxing cruise around Australia and New Zealand and, I must apologise, geneactivities moved down my list of priorities. No that I have time for reflection  I thought it appropriate to respond to my challenge

I actually found it difficult to dig for memories and positives. Pondering on my 2025 my level of appreciation for those genies who responded to my prompts grew and grew.







Following are my responses to the 2025 Accentuate the Positive prompts.

1.  I treasured the support of genies who responded to my 2024 Accentuate the Positive Geneameme. Responses to the Accentuate the Positive 2024 Geneameme

2.  I shared my direct ancestors' details on Wikitree. I am committed to Wikitree as a collaborative tree. I am working to ensure that my ancestors' and forebears' stories are not lost so I aim to give them all a profile on this platform. It's a future-proofing exercise

 My CCC7 score currently stands at 4129. My profile on WikiTree is here https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Curry-3069.  

3.  I travelled  to Brisbane for Connections2025 and had a wow of a time learning, presenting and socialising. As the NSW Ambassador for the event I revelled in its success. I will be visiting this next Congress in Wellington, New Zealand in 2027.

Bloggers at Connections2025 including several who have responded
 to the 2025Accentuate the Positive Challenge

4.  I learnt more and more about WikiTree as I progressed through the year. Help was always at hand as I struggled with the challenging interface. Thanks to Veronica Williams (Coat-12) ) for her guidance and support. Participating with the Super Aussie Genies Team in challenges helped me improve. 

5.  I changed my main software program to RootsMagicI started using RootsMagic to manage the people in my CareyBay2283 One Place Study. Although I don't have a handle on its sourcing system I appreciate its fairly seamless syncing with Ancestry, FamilySearch and FindMyPast. As the year progressed I added more trees to RootsMagic11. 

I also find it good for managing the DNA matches of some of the kits I manage. 

6.  I received several invitations to speak at family history events in person and via zoom. 

8.  I found many products and resources to test drive through my activities on social media channels. Thanks to all the Genies who use Facebook, Blogs and other Social Media to share their stories, thoughts and tips. A Big Bonus is that, after 19 years on Facebook and 20 years on Blogger, several of my contacts have become very good friends. 

After ditching Twitter I found a welcoming genealogy community on Bluesky. I can be found there at 
@geniaus.bsky.social.

9.  I taught in formal and informal situations in online and in face-to-face settings.

As an amateur I do not seek out speaking opportunities but, if I am in the country, I will usually respond positively to invitations. I especially love meeting and chatting with genies in local societies. As an old girl these invitations give me positive reinforcement. Pleased to report that I already have half a dozen gigs lined up for 2026. Once a teacher - always a teacher!

10. I cried when I heard of the death of my first cousin Ronda. Although we didn't see much of each other in recent years I have fond memories of  spending many happy times tagging along with my big cousin. I was proud to be Godmother to her firstborn. 

As I was overseas I was unable to attend her funeral. I am grateful to those family members who attended on our behalf.

Jill and Ronda at her wedding. January 1960

11. I was proud of my efforts in researching, recording and publishing information in my One-Place Study. I am concentrating on the research while concurrently writing the odd post and recording Carey Bay Burials On FindaGrave and adding Carey Bay Profiles to WikiTree.

12. I read several books in a a range of genres. Goodreads tells me that I read 101 titles but I know there were a few more genealogy titles that were not in the Goodreads database.


As for books vaguely related to my family history activities here are a few that struck a chord (they are not necessarily masterpieces):







The Poisoned Life of Mrs.Maybrick

Going Under




Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Accentuate the Positive 2025 - Responses


Since I set this challenge in December I have been cruising around and exploring Australia and New Zealand. Now home I have just spent a couple of hours reading and responding to the posts of the Genie's listed below. 

I am humbled by the Genearosity and support of these bloggers who have joined this challenge. 

* If I have missed any posts please let me know and I will add them to this list.
* It's not too late to add your name to this list - just send me a link

Jill Ball  https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2026/01/my-response-2025-accentuate-positive.html

Pauleen Cass  https://cassmobfamilyhistory.com/2026/01/16/accentuate-the-positive-geneameme-2025/

Alex Daw  https://familytreefrog.blogspot.com/2025/12/accentuate-positive-2025-geneameme.html

Bobbie Edes  https://gsq-blog.gsq.org.au/accentuate-the-positives-in-2026/

Carmel Galvin  https://earlieryears.blogspot.com/2026/01/accentuate-positive-2025-geneameme.html

Shauna Hicks  https://www.shaunahicks.com.au/accentuate-the-positive-2025/

Jennifer Jones  https://trackingdownthefamily.substack.com/p/accentuate-the-positive-2025-geneameme

Jenny Mackay  https://jennymackay.substack.com/p/twelve-things-that-made-2024-worth

Karen Packard-Rhodes  https://karenaboutgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/12/geniauss-accentuate-positive-for-2025.html

Lilian Magill  https://researchbylily.blogspot.com/2025/12/remember-to-accentuate-positive.html

Linda Stufflebean  https://emptybranchesonthefamilytree.com/2025/12/accentuate-the-positive-2025-geneameme/

Robyn https://robynandthegenies.blogspot.com/2025/12/accentuate-positive-2025.html

Anne Young  https://anneyoungau.wordpress.com/author/anneyoungau/

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Greetings from GeniAus

 


I took this photo when driving in country Australia with Mr GeniAus in January 2024. It reminds us that many of the Northern Hemisphere images we see in the Festive Season in Australia are not relevant to family life downunder.

Apologies to the people on King Island in Tasmania. After creating this image I checked the metadata for the photo and discovered it was actually taken in King Island not Narrabri. As a genie I should have checked 

Friday, December 19, 2025

Accentuate the Positive 2025 Geneameme

 

Back in 2012 I decided to publish the first Accentuate the Positive Geneameme. I had seen several genies reflecting on their failures and wanted them to celebrate their successes. I said:

"You are a bunch of highly motivated people who have made great strides in the genealogy sphere. Let's share the good news."

For the 2025 challenge I have decided to move away from prompts that relate to particular situations and resources to a list focusing on our reactions to particular verbs as we reflect on our family history journey.

I encourage you to respond on social media or in a text document to the prompts from the list below  - please delete the statements that are not relevant to your situation.

Once you have done so please share your post's link in a comment on this post or send your link or text document  via email to jillballau@gmail.com or via social media. I will, when I return from the high seas in late January, compile a list of links to your contributions here on this blog. 

Remember to Accentuate the Positive 

2025 Prompts

1.  I treasured

2.  I shared

3.  I travelled

4.  I learnt

5.  I changed

6.  I received

7.  I conquered

8.  I found

9.  I taught

10. I cried

11. I was proud

12. I  read


Responses to Earlier Challenges

2024 https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2025/01/responses-to-accentuate-positive-2024.html

2023 https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2024/01/accentuatethe-positive-2023-responses.html

2022 https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2023/01/accentuate-positive-2022-responses.html

2021 https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2022/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme-2021.html

2020 https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2021/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme-2020.html

2019 https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2020/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme-2019_11.html

2017 https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2018/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme-2017-posts.html

2016 https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2017/01/gags-geniaus-gems-6-january-2017.html

2015 https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2016/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme-2015_11.html

2014 https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2015/01/accentuate-positive-2014-geneameme.html

2013 https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2013/01/2012-very-good-year.html

2012 https://geniaus.blogspot.com/2013/01/2012-very-good-year.html

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